Curle: Cobblers need to be in the division above

Cobblers boss Keith Curle says ‘belief is growing’ among his squad that they are capable of competing with any team in League Two following seven consecutive games unbeaten.

Town have leapt from the fringes of a relegation battle to the edges of a play-off fight in the space of five weeks, winning five games, drawing two and losing none since going down 4-0 to Colchester United at the start of February.

Six points adrift in 11th, Northampton are still only outsiders to finish in the top seven but the fact they even have a sniff is testament to Curle and his players - and the Town boss believes League One is where the club belongs.

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“This is a club that needs to be in the division above, minimum, in my opinion,” he said. “If you keep winning games anything is a possibility.

“I think the pleasing thing is that people are watching the results and we’re creeping up. If you divide the division into three leagues, we were top of the bottom league for a long time but now we’re embedded in the middle league and trying to chase the top seven.

“This is a great time for us now because the injury list is shortening, we’re clear from suspensions and we have players in-form, performing well and playing in an environment where they’re enjoying their work and enjoying their performances and striving to get into the team.”

Confidence has been in short supply over the past 18 months for the Cobblers but nothing breeds belief like wins and a superb run of four straight victories has gone a long way to lifting spirits around the camp.

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Curle added: “The players are enjoying the environment, they’re enjoying the football club, they’re enjoying the accolades and their appreciative of the support that’s coming with it.

“It’s a good environment and the players are looking forward to games and they don’t fear games, which is important. What we’ve built, and what we’re continuing to build, is that belief in the changing room that we can compete with anyone in this division.

“It’s about doing the simple things well and respecting the simple things. A lot of what we do is training is about the simple things.”